Ship-propulsion apparatus



W. RIID SHIP PROPULSION APPARATUS Eil- ILTZIINJM 11-1 i, 11-?.

l Filed Got. l, i921 Patented @oto 9, i923.

NETE@ WILLIAM BED, 0F NEWARK, 'NEW JERSEY.

I SEllP-PRUPULSION APPARATUS.

Application tiled October l, 1921.' Serial No. ai.

T 0 all 'whom t may concer/)1.

lBe it known that I, 1WILLIAM REID, a citizen of the United States, residing at Newark, in the county of 'Essex and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ship-Propulsion Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to ship propulsion apparatus, and has for an object to provide a means associated with the propeller which will increase the operating eHiciency of the latter by overcoming the drag upon the water exerted by that portion of the propeller blades located near the hub, so that the outer portion of the blades may exert a maximum thrust against the water. Another object of the invention is to provide means to be associated with the propeller of a ship to cause the propeller to function as a suction pump, and pipe connections between said means and the interior of the vessel s0 that accumulated water in the hold may be removed therefrom by the action of the propeller, without materially interfering with the operation of the latter to propel the ship.

ln addition to the foregoing this invention comprehends improvements in the details of construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the appended claims.

lin the accompanying drawings in which similar and corresponding parts are designated by the same characters of reference throughout the several views in which they appear:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the stern of a ship illustrating the embodiment therein of my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentaryY view in top plan, somewhat diagrammatic, of the stern of the ship.

lFigure 3 is a view in vertical section of my invention showing the ships propeller; and

Figure a is a view of the invention in transverse, vertical section.

With reference to the drawings, 10 indicates the keel at the stern of a vessel, 11 the rudder, and 12 the propellers, the drawings illustrating a twin screw vessel. rllhe propellers are mounted upon shafts 13 which are enclosed within tubular casings 14, the latter being joined together by a cross 4brace 15 to hold the pro-paliers against separation.

rllhe hub of the propeller is indicated at 16 and the blades at 17.

My invention consists of a casing 18. preferably cylindrical in formation and constructed of sheet metal, although a casting may be employed if found desirable. The casing 18 surrounds the propeller shaft 13 or casing 14 if the latter is employed, and is located just forward of the propeller. rlhe open rear end of the casing is directed toward the propeller, and the front end gradually tapers soV as to embrace the casing 14. An opening 20 is formed in the wall of the casing at its upper Side, and an air conduit 21 may be fabricated in one piece, as by casting. A tubular member 22 is inserted in the upper end of the member 21 so that the total length of said members 21 and 22 may be varied by telescoping the member 22 to permit the upper end of the latter to reach above the water line of the vessel, and of the said member 22 being provided with a shut-0H valve, which when closed, permits of the pumping action to withdraw water from the bilges. A conical shaped or tapering casing 23 is placed around the propeller shaft or casing 14 with the smaller end directed forward, and the wider end securely connected to the end of the casing 18.

rlhis casing 23 provides a stream line effect to avoid any resistance against the water that would Otherwise result by exposing the end wall 19 to the water. For the same reason the conduits 21 and 22 are triangular having two curved sides and flat sides, the lat side facing forwardly, as shown clearly in Figure 2.

l lin operation, the rotation of the propellers will create a vortex in the water, forcing the water away from the propeller and by reaction causing the vessel to travel. casing 18 is forward of the propeller and its open end located at the beginning of the vortex, air will be drawn forcibly down through theconduits 21 and 22 by the action of the vortex and drawn by or forced through the propeller in a stream between its blades. is a result the hub of the propeller will operate in an air chamber, the water being forced aside by the rapid passage of the stream of air leaving the casing 18 and passing between the propeller blades rearwardly. lt is a well known fact that in the most correctly designed propeller it is the outer portion of the blades that exerts the greatest thrust upon the water, the inner portion of the blades at the Since the' hub by reason of their slower rate of circumferential travel applying a backward drag upon the water which reduces the efliciency of the outer portion of the blades. Also, this non-cooperating action between the two portions of the blade will result in a disturbance in the Water or churning around the huby which acts further to reduce the eiliciency of the ropeller as a Whole. My invention there lore operates upon the theory that by precluding the inner portions of the blade from acting upon the Water at all, the outer portions of the blades may be permitted to actl upon the water with maximum effect. The speed of rotation of the propeller will furthermore be increased because of the lesser amount of blade surface in contact with the Water.

The effect of the propellers in causing a suction may be utilized to advantage in clearing the hull of a vessel of accumulated Water. This is accomplished by providing a pipe 24. which runs throughout the length of the vessel and is located within the hold.

f: The rear end of the pipe is extended through the side of the hold and is connected by means of a coupling 25 to the casing 23, or if desired to the casing 18. A number of' valves 26 are provided along the length of the pipe, one 1n each water tight. compartment of the vessel, and each valve is provided with a long operating stem 27, which extends vertically. Each stem is provided with a number of operating handles or wheels 28, 'one above each deck so that the valves may be opened from any portion lot' the ship.

Thus in the event of damage to the hull o'r if the vessel is shipping too much water, any one of the valves 26 may be opened. The action of the propeller will draw the water from the hullthrough the pipe and discharge it at the stern. This will have only a slight effect upon the propulsive action, of the propeller in driving the ship,

the slight reduction in speed being offset by the advantage of having the hull rise further above the water level due to the removal of the accumulated water from the hold.

-VVhile I have illustrated and described my invention with some degree of particularity, I realize that in practice various alterations therein may be made. I therefore reserve the right and privilege of changing the form of the details of construction or otherwise altering the arrangement of the correlated parts without depart-ing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is 1. -Iny a ship, the combination of a, propeller and shaft, a casing surrounding the propeller shaft and having one end open toward and 'adjacent the hub portion of the propeller, and means to conduct air to the casing so that a stream of air may be drawn Yfrom the casing during rotation of the propeller to force aside the water from contact with the hub portions of the blades.

2. In a ship, the combination of' the propeller and shaft, a casing surrounding the shaft and having one end open and adjacent the hub portion of and directed toward the propeller and a telescopic conduit communicating at one end with the casing and at the other end with the atmosphere to conduct air to said casing. j i

3. In a ship, the combination of a propeller and shaft, av casing surrounding the shaft and having one end open .and directed toward the propeller, and a conduit communicating at one end with the casing and at the. other end with the hull of the vessel whereby the action of the propeller may create a vacuum in the casin to draw water through the conduit from t e hull.

4. In a ship, the combination of a propeller and shaft, a casing surrounding the shaft and having its rear end open toward and adjacent the hub portion of the propeller, and adjustable means adjacent the propeller communicating with the casing and with the atmosphere above the water line of the ship whereby the air drawn into the casing exerts pressure on the water to force it away from contact with the hub portions of the propeller blades.

5. I'n va ship, the combination of a propeller and shaft, a casing surroundin the shaft having its rear end open towar and adjacent the hub portion of the propeller, and a telescopic conduit, triangular in cross section attached to the casing adjacent the propeller, a section of the telescopic conduit extending -above the water line of the ship whereby the air drawn into the casing exerts pressure on the water to force it away from 'contact with the hub portions of the propeller blades.

In testimony in presence of two witnesses.

lLIM REID.

Witnesses z Mmmm Rossi', f WM. ZEAMAN,

whereof I aiix my signature 

